Knowledge and awareness of prosthodontic treatment requirements among partially edentulous patients of the armed forces: An observational study

Abstract

Background: Prosthodontic rehabilitation of the partially edentulous patients is one of the important treatment modalities carried out in outpatients departments of Armed Forces Dental Centers. Removable partial dentures, fixed dental prosthesis, and implant-supported prosthesis are the options available for the rehabilitation of the partially edentulous patients. Knowledge and awareness about the prosthetic rehabilitation varies between the individuals and has been largely unobserved and less reported in the literature. The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge and awareness of the partially edentulous patients of the armed forces about different options available for prosthetic rehabilitation in general and implant prosthesis in particular.Subjects and Methods: The study included 546 partially edentulous participants who reported to one of the tertiary care dental centers of the armed forces requiring prosthodontic rehabilitation. A self-explanatory questionnaire containing the personal particulars, various options available for the replacement of the missing teeth, and advantages and disadvantages of all the options including dental implants were asked to all the participants. Data were fed into Microsoft Excel® sheet and analyzed using statistical software SPSS.Results: More than half of the participants were unaware of their edentulous state, treatment options available for them, and advantages and disadvantages of available treatment modalities.Conclusion: The results of the study bring about the further requirement of patient education in increasing their knowledge and awareness, which will enable them to make informed decision in choosing appropriate treatment modality in consultation with the treating prosthodontist.